Wire package racks with adjustable dividers



June 20, 1961 E. J. BUZICKY 2,989,190

WIRE PACKAGE RACKS WITH ADJUSTABLE DIVIDERS Filed Dec. 5, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N 242 36 g 75 EZF-fia INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,989,190 WlRE PACKAGE RACKS WITH ADJUSTABLE DIVIDERS Edmund J. Buzicky, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Whirlp'ool Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 3, 1956, Ser. No. 625,982 13 Claims. (Cl. 211-49) This invention relates to an improvement in wire package racks with adjustable dividers and deals particularly with a storage basket used in chest type freezers and the like.

One of the common criticisms of chest type freezers is that the goods stored is difficult to remove. When various packages of frozen goods are piled one upon the other it is often necessary to remove a considerable number of the packages before locating the one desired. An object of the present invention lies in the provision of a storage basket for use in freezers of this type and which is capable of storing packages of frozen goods so that they may easily be identified and removed.

An object of the present invention resides in the provision of a storage basket for freezers which contains a dispensing rack for canned goods such as frozen juices and the like. When placed in the rack, these juices or other goods normally roll toward the forward side of the basket into position where they may be easily removed. Due to the fact that the storage compartment for such juices is generally L-shaped in form, the weight of the cans in the vertical part of the storage compartment causes the cans in the horizontal portion to be urged toward position for selection and removal.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a compartment for containing left overs and the like for easy selection and removal. This compartment is capable of supporting small containers such as plastic containers and the like containing left overs or food cooked for future use so that the contents thereof can be easily seen and the proper packages selected.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an elongated basket which is preferably suspended between an end wall of the freezer and the vertical partition dividing the body of the freezer into a storage compartment and a quick freezing chamber. As a result, the basket can be suspended near the rear wall of the chest type freezer and the contents of the basket may be readily viewed through the front and open top of the basket.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a basket having a generally open front side. As a result the sides of the various packages stored within the basket may be viewed and the contents may be readily removed from stacked condition through the lower portion of the front wall.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an elongated storage basket which is provided with adjustably supported dividers. -These dividers comprise wire frame members which preferably extend on vertical planes between the front and rear walls of the basket and which are held in place by suitable lugs and by a resilient projection capable of being engaged in any of the loops or notches arranged at the upper extremity of the front wall of the basket. By flexing the resilient projection out of engagement with the selected loop, the partition may be easily disengaged if desired for shifting the position thereof or for simplifying the cleaning of the basket.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a freezer basket having a generally open front wall and having partition frames which extend in substantially right angular relation to the front and rear lCC walls to divide the length of the basket into compartments of suitable width for containing packages of frozen foods. These partitions are provided with trim 'plates Which extend in a common plane when the dividers are in place and form a partial front closure for the basket spaced from the bottom of the basket. Portions of the packages can be viewed between these trim plates and the lowermost packages of the stack can be withdrawn if desired by merely pulling these packages forwardly.

These and other objects .and novel features of the present invention willbe more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a basket showing the general appearance of the basket with the dividers in place.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing the dividers and trim plates removed.

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the left as viewed in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an ,end view showing the right hand end of the basket as viewed in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view through the basket, the position of the section being indicated by the line 55 of'FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the storage basket.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view on the line 77 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view of one of the dividers, showing cooperable portions of the basket in section.

FIGURE 9 is a front elevational view of the divider illustrated in FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is a top plan view of the divider shown in FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view through the trim portion of one of the dividers, the position of the section being indicated by the line 1111 ofFIGURE 1.

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view through one of the trim plates, the position of the section being indicated by the line 1212 of FIGURE 1.

As seen in FIGURE 6 of the drawings, the basket, a generally rectangular top frame 10 which includes a front portion 11, a rear portion 12, and parallel end portions 13 and 14. As shown in FIGURES 1 to 4 in the drawings, a' generally U-shaped frame member 15 is secured to opposite ends 13 and 14 of the frame 10 and is suspended therefrom near the front member 11 of the rectangular frame 10. The U-shaped member 15 includes a transverse bottom member 16, and parallel vertical ends 17 and 19 which are connected at their upper extremities to the undersurface of the rectangular frame 10.

The left hand end of the basket as viewed in FIGURE 1 comprises a storage compartment for packages of frozen food and the like and this portion of the basket is provided with a rear wall, and a bottom, and a generally open front. This portion is formed by a series of generally L-shaped wire rods 20 which include vertical rear wall forming members 21 secured at their upper extremity to the rear member 12 of the frame 10, and generally horizontal right angularly extending portions 22 secured at their forward ends to the transverse bottom member 16 of the U-shaped frame member 15. The members 20 are spaced properly to permit relatively small Packages to be supported. 7 As is indicated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the members 21 forming the rear wall of the basket are reinforced by one or more transversely extending wire rods- 23 which are spot welded or otherwise secured to the members 21 intermediate their upper and lower ends. The horizontally extending portions 22 of the L-shaped end of the basket members 20 are also connected and reinforced by parallel U-shaped wire rod 24 which are provided with bottom or base portions 25 spot welded or otherwise secured to the portions 22 of the members 20 and which are bent upwardly at their ends for connection with the top frame 10. The side portions 26 of the U-shaped members 24 are connected to the end 13 of the frame 10 while the opposite parallel end portions 27 of the U-shaped members 24 are connected to the end 14 of the frame 10. The ends of the rear wall reinforcing rod 23 are bent so that one end 29 of the rod 23 overlies and is secured to the frame portion 26 while the opposite end 30 thereof is bent to overlie and be secured to the frame portions 27 at the opposite end of the basket.

One or more additional bottom reinforcing members such as 31 may also be provided, one such member 31 being shown extending parallel to the bottom portions 25 of the U-shaped members 24 and terminating at the end of the main storage portion of the basket.

When in place, the basket is supported by strips 32 which are secured to the frame members 13 and 29 and project upwardly above the frame 10 to terminate in a transversely extending strip connecting flange 33. At the other end of the basket, strips 34 are connected to the frame members 30 and 14 and terminate in hooked ends 35. The flange 33 normally overlies a portion of the top surface of one of the freezer end walls while the hooks 35 normally hook over the partition 36 which normally divides the freezer cabinet into a main storage well and a quick freeze compartment. The end wall of the freezer is indicated in general in FIGURE 1 by the numeral 37.

The can dispensing portion of the basket is separated from the remainder of the basket by the partition wall of the type indicated in FIGURE of the drawings. A rod 39 extends across the frame from the front member 11 to the rear member 12 thereof parallel to the ends of the frame. Three generally U-shaped partition frame members 40, 41 and 42 form the body of the partition. The center bottom portion 43 of the widest U-shaped frame 42 is upwardly offset so as to bear against the ends of the cans contained within the can dispensing portion of the basket. The central frame 40, as illustrated, is narrower but longer than the other two frames so that it can overlie the center portions of the frames 41 and 42 and be spot welded thereto.

As is indicated in FIGURES 4 and 7 of the drawings, this can dispensing portion of the basket includes a series of parallel generally L-shaped frame members 44 which include a rear wall forming portion 45, a bottom forming portion 46 and a relatively short upwardly curved forward end portion 47. As is indicated in FIGURES 2 and 6 of the drawings, the forward ends of two adjoining frame members 44 are connected by transverse connecting portions 49 so that the forward ends of the arms are rounded rather than square or sharp. The rear wall forming portion 45 and the bottom forming portions 46 are connected by curves having a relatively large radius of curvature so as to guide cans smoothly into the bottom portion of the can rack.

The rear vertical leg of the can containing compartments are defined by generally L-shaped frame members 51 which include vertical portions 52 and horizontal portions 53. The forward ends of the horizontal portions 53 are bent upwardly as indicated at 54 and are connected by a transverse frame member 55. The rear leg of the can dispensing chamber is also defined by a series of vertical partition members 56 which are connected by a transverse bottom connecting member 57. The cans placed between the partition forming members 51 and the vertical portions of the frame members 44 are thus guided downwardly into the horizontal portion of this compartment as is best indicated in FIGURE 7 of the drawrngs.

The horizontal portions 53 of the frame members 51 are connected by parallel bottom forming rods 59 to form a shelf upon which plastic containers of left overs or foods cooked in advance may be stored. Due to the elevation of the shelf formed by the members 59, these containers are readily accessible for removal and replacement. A trim supporting frame 60 extends from the can containing end of the basket laterally to a point slightly beyond the partition shown in FIGURE 5 of the drawings and then bends downwardly to form a vertical frame portion 61 and terminates in a reversely bent horizontal frame portion 62. A trim plate 63 is supported by these frame members and by the frame member 55 as indicated in FIGURE 1 of the drawings. This plate 63 forms a partial front wall above the can dispensing area which partially closes the front of the area defined by the shelf members 59. A generally rectangular frame 64 is also secured to the vertical member 17 of the frame portion 15, this frame 64 acting to support a generally rectangular trim plate 55.

With reference to FIGURE 7 of the drawings, it should be noted that the can dispensing portion of the basket is divided into two sections by an intermediate partition member 66 which includes a top horizontal portion 67 connected at its upper extremity to the upper ends of the frame members 51, a vertically extending portion 69, a lower horizontally extending portion 70, and a forwardly and upwardly inclined portion 71 which connects to the cross member 55. This partition member 66 extends between the ends of parallel rows of cans to hold the axes of the cans extending transversely of the basket and to prevent the roll of the cans of one row from interfering with the movement of the cans of the other row.

Along the undersurface of the front member 11 of the top frame 10 is a frame member 72 which is bent to pro vide downwardly extending loops or notches 73. These loops are designed to accommodate a portion of each adjustable divider and to hold it in a desired location.

The dividers are formed as best illustrated in FIG- URES 8 through 12 of the drawings. Each divider includes a generally rectangular frame including a front member 74, a bottom member 75, a rear member 76, a top member 77, and a forwardly and downwardly inclined portion 79 at the forward end of the top member 77 which attaches at its lower end 80 to the front member 74 intermediate the ends of this front member. The upper portion of the front member, indicated at 81, is bent to form a forward projection, a rearwardly turned portion 83, and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined terminal loop 84. The upper portion 81 of the front frame member 7 4 is sufliciently resilient to be flexed inwardly when rearward pressure is supplied to the loop 84. The projection 82 is designed to extend into any desired loop 73 to extend between the frame member 72 and the front frame member 11.

A generally U-shaped clip 85 is provided on the rear frame member 76 and a similar generally U-shaped clip 86 is provided on the bottom frame member 75. The clip 85 is designed to embrace one of the vertical portions 21 of the frame members 20 and to abut against the transverse reinforcing member 23. The clip 86 is designed to embrace a portion of the horizontal portion 22 of a frame member 20 and to abut against one of the bottom portions 25 of a frame member 24 extending transversely of the basket. These clips 85 and 86, together with the projection 82 engaged in a cooperable loop 73 hold the partition from lateral movement. However, by retracting the projection 82 and twisting the partition to some extent, the divider or partition may be removed.

A generally rectangular wire frame 87 is spot welded or otherwise attached to the front member 74 of each partition or divider, the frame 87 extending on a plane substantially normal to the plane of the divider. Each frame 87 is designed to accommodate a panel forming a trim plate 89 as indicated in FIGURES 1, 11 and 12 of the drawings. These trim plates are designed to enhance the appearance of the forward wall of the basket and also to form pant-ial closures between the spaced dividers. In other words, if the various dividers are spaced a distance proper to accommodate a certain size of frozen food package therebetween, portions of the edges of these packages are normally visible between the adjoining dividers so that the contents of the packages may be noted. However, the space below the trim.- plates 89 at the front of the basket are open so that the packages may be slid forwardly and removed Without taking out all of the stacked packages in the event a lower package is desired. The packages are prevented from movement laterally of the basket by the parallel wires 90 connecting the lower and upper frame members 75 and 77 of the dividers or partitions.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my wire package rack with adjustable dividers, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiments thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A storage basket for freezers and the like comprising an elongated basket having a bottom wall, spaced parallel end walls, a rear wall extending between said end walls and connected to said bottom wall, and an open front, a series of vertical dividers extending forwardly from said rear wall parallel to said end walls, and transversely extending members on the forward edge of said dividers and extending in a substantially common plane, said last named members being spaced above said bottom wall and forming a partial front wall for said basket, the space between said transversely extending members and said bottom wall being open between said dividers.

2. The construction described in claim 1 and in which said last named members terminate in spaced relation.

'3. The construction described in claim 1 including means rendering said dividers adjustable to various selected positions longitudinally of the basket.

4. A storage basket for freezers and the like comprising a generally rectangular top frame including a front portion, a rear portion and parallel end portions, a frame member secured to the undersurface of said front portion having downwardly bent sections forming a series of longitudinally spaced notches with said front portion, a generally U-shaped frame member connected at its upper extremities to the generally rectangular top frame member adjacent the junctures of its front portion with said parallel end portions, generally L-shaped frame members extending from the rear portion of said top frame member to the bottom of said U-shaped frame member at locations in spaced vertical alignment with said notches to define a rear wall and a right angularly extending bottom wall, additional spaced U-shaped frame members having their bottom portions secured to the horizontal portions of said L-shaped members and their upper ends secured to the end portions of said generally rectangular top frame member, and removable dividers having rigid means thereon for straddling sections of selected L-shaped members and resilient means thereon projectable into those notches aligned with said selected L-shaped members.

5. The construction described in claim 4 in which each divider comprises a generally rectangular frame including a front element, a bottom element, a top element, a rear element and a forwardly and downwardly inclined element at the forward end of said top element secured to said front element at a locus intermediate its upper and lower ends thereby to provide a deflect-able upper end portion being bent so as to form a forwardly directed projection constituting said resilient means projectable into said aligned notches.

6. The construction described in claim 5 including a reinforcing horizontal rod secured to the vertical portions of said L-shaped members intermediate the upper and tion of one of said additional U-shaped frame members when said divider is in place.

7. A storage rack for freezers and the like including a generally rectangular elongated basket body having a bottom, a substantially vertical rear wall and substantially parallel end walls, a partition parallel to the end walls dividing the basket into two sections, a can dispensing rack on one side of said partition, said dispensing rack including a generally vertical wall parallel to, and spaced from, said rear wall, and a substantially horizontal wall parallel to, and spaced from, said bottom wall and extending from said generally vertical wall to the front of the basket, said rear wall and bottom wall combining with said generally vertical wall and horizontal wall to form an L-shaped can compartment, the front of said L-shaped compartment being generally open but partially closed by upwardly and forwardly inclined members limiting forward movement of cans in said compartment, and a front wall above the generally open front of said compartment forming, with said generally vertical wall, one end wall, said partition wall, and said horizontal wall an open topped generally rectangular second compartment.

8. The structure of claim 7 and including an auxiliary partition intermediate said one end wall and said partition wall dividing said L-shaped compartment into two side by side can containing compartments.

9. A refrigerator storage basket including a bottom wall, a rear wall, and parallel end walls, a frame member connecting the forward ends of said end walls of the top thereof, the front and top of said basket being generally open, said back and bottom walls being formed by generally L-shaped parallel wires, dividers supported in said basket in parallel relation to said end walls, said dividers each including clip means embracing a portion of an L- shaped wire forming the basket rear wall and clip means embracing a portion of the same L-shaped wire forming the bottom wall, and retractable resilient means on each said divider resiliently engaging said frame member.

10. The structure of claim 9 and in which said frame member includes spaced notches, said notches being in the planes of said L-shaped wires, and into which said retractable resilient means are engaged.

11. The structure of claim 10 and in which said retractable resilient means comprises a resilient wire secured to the front edge of said divider at a point spaced from the top thereof and including a forward projection engageable in a selected notch.

12. The construction described in claim 9 and in which said dividers include panel members spaced from the lower ends of said dividers and secured to the forward edge thereof on a plane at right angles to the plane of the dividers, said panel members of said dividers forming a partial front closure for said basket.

13. A package storage basket for freezers and the like including a generally rectangular basket body having a bottom wall, a rear wall, parallel end walls, and a generally open front and top, dividers adjustable to various selected positions between, and parallel to, said end walls dividing said body into a series of side by side sections, and transversely extending members on the forward edge of said dividers and extending in substantially a common plane, said transversely extending members forming a partial front wall spaced from said bottom wall, whereby packages placed on said bottom wall between spaced dividers may be withdrawn through the front of the basket beneath said transversely extending members.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kilborn July 28, 1885 Iandron June 22, 1920 Sanders Jan. 19, 1926 Libera Jan. 13, 1931 Petzold Nov. 12, 1935 Considine July 26, 1938 Steenstrup Apr. 18, 1939 10 8 Cocks Apr. 22, 1941 Cocks Apr. 22, 1941 Kuklich Feb. 14,1950 Shield Aug. 18, 1953 Temple June 8, 1954 Calhoun Oct. 19, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS France of 1953 

